Azure Snow Birds
by Agt. Mulder
Summary: When Jewel visits Blu's home near the end of December, she absolutely hates the freezing landscape. But as time passes, Jewel discovers the little wonders below the icy surface, in Christmas, and also in Blu.
1. The Trip

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

As you can see, this is my first story! Yay! *Clap at your screen here*

I am planning to make this a six to seven chapter story, depending on how it goes. I am also planning to publish one chapter every Sunday until New Year's (Jan. 1st). This is to try to coordinate for Blu and Jewel to have their Christmas the same day we have ours in five weeks! So check in here on December 25th!

Once you read the story, please review it! I always love new ideas, suggestions, _constructive_ criticism, pointing out mistakes (I make them too, so relax), or simply expressing that you liked or disliked the story! Anything (but flaming/ negative comments) helps!

Thanks a lot, and enjoy the story.

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><p>December 21, 2011<p>

Jewel:

Rays of light in brilliant orange and yellow slipped over the horizon as the city of Rio was preparing for another hot and humid day. Birds were off to fetch food for their peeping hatchlings, while the humans dove into the sparkling lukewarm waters off of Rio's beaches.

A sliver of the morning's early light squeezed through a window and awoke me from my sleep. Groggily, I sat up and rubbed my eyes, tired from the strange, yet amazing adventure from the day before. I looked around and scanned my surroundings. I was on one of many large tables positioned around the very spacious room. These tables held an assortment of medicines, cages, sinks, strange glowing boxes and other objects I could never fully explain. The table I was on held a row of three-sided cardboard walls that separated different "rooms" for each bird.

The small room where I slept for the night consisted of a square tan carpet for flooring and a soft white pillow for a bed in a corner. Directly to the right of the pillow in the second corner was a clear container filled with water and a small dish of birdfeed.

I looked over at my wing and sighed. A cloth was wrapped around my left wing and was tied down with a single lace that slung over my shoulder (almost what humans would call a "sling"). I flinched at the memory of that fateful metallic cage crashing down upon my wing. From what Tulio, the ornithologist, said, it would be (give or take) about a week to recover.

In other words, a week of no flying. Great... I blame that idiot Nigel for this. If I ever see that cockatoo again, I'll break both his ugly wings and throw him off a cliff. I suppose I still have to thankful that Blu was there though. If it wasn't for him, I'd have bigger problems than a simple "broken wing".

Speaking about Blu, where was he? I scanned around the room.

"Blu?" I called out. Silence.

"Bluuu…" No reply.

I walked down the long row of bird cubicles, searching for the bird that saved my life.

"Blu!"_ Where has that bird gone to?_ I asked myself.

I detected the sound of running water. Curious, I walked in the direction of the sound, and, sure enough, saw an azure macaw bending over a sink at the end of the table.

"Blu?" I cocked my head, baffled.

The macaw pulled his head up so suddenly that he hit his head with the faucet, making a loud thump. I giggled as I saw him trying to compose himself from this very comical situation.

"Owww." The macaw chuckled lightly and rubbed his head.

"Nice Blu... Can't even start the morning without hurting yourself." I remarked sarcastically.

"Hey, you caught me at a bad time!" He responded.

Walking over to the sink, I asked, "What are you doing in a sink anyways?" I peered into the sink and saw a light green liquid escape through the drain.

"I'm rinsing my mouth. See?" He pointed to a large bottle filled about three-quarters with a fluid that had the exact same light-green color.

"What is it?" I stared at the large bottle which was nearly my height.

"Why, it's mouthwash!" He chuckled to himself. "Or in my case, beakwash!" He beamed at his lame attempt of a joke.

"Uh... okay... Why do you need it again?"

Blu looked a bit shocked. "Are you kidding? The mouth is full of germs and bacteria that can eat away at the enamel of your teeth! By rinsing, you kill the bacterial plaque causing cavities and gingivitis, and don't forget the fluoride to protect against tooth decay."

"But Blu... You don't even _have_ teeth to decay..." I pointed out humorously. Blu opened his mouth to speak, but stopped halfway, realizing I pointed a major flaw in his theory.

"Oh." He spoke at last. "That's right." He thought for a couple seconds more and shrugged. "Well, at least it makes my breath minty."

A devious grin stretched across my face as an idea came to my mind. I walked up to Blu, our bodies growing nearer and nearer. I closed my eyes and leaned in slowly, advancing in to kiss him, beak to beak. But the moment right before our beaks touched, I inhaled and leaned back, taking a step in reverse. I then watched Blu turn a deeply red color and looked shyly away.

I looked off in the distance, over Blu's shoulder. "Hm. I suppose that you're right."

I then looked back at him, giving a mischievous smile. "But _hálito fresco não vou deixar você me beijar tão facilmente_." I trilled in my high-pitched Portuguese tongue. I then walked away from the scene, completely aware that Blu was staring right at me, confused, with his mouth wide-open.

(_hálito fresco não vou deixar você me beijar tão facilmente_ = …fresh breath will not let you kiss me so easily)

…

After eating breakfast in my cubicle (which consisted of a variety of nuts and seeds), I walked to the end of the table near the sink. Tulio, Linda, and Fernando were talking back and forth while Blu was listening. Blu seemed very excited, as he had a smile on his face and walked back and forth.

"What's going on?" I asked Blu as I walked up beside him.

"Linda had a great idea! You know, Christmas is next week right?"

"Christmas?"

"Yeah, Christmas! You decorate Christmas trees, hang up stockings, presents, and, the best part of all, Santa Claus!" Blu looked delighted to explain the holiday to me.

"Santa Claus?"

"Well, Santa's his shortened name. Basically, he's a fat jolly person who goes into human's houses and leaves presents under their trees at night, for all the good girls and boys."

_An obese happy person sneaking into human's houses at night? Why would humans be looking forward to __that__?_

"Anyways..." Blu continued. "Since Christmas is on December 25th, and it's only five days away, Linda thought that we could all go to Minnesota and spend Christmas there!"

My jaw dropped as a flurry of questions swarmed my mind. _Is Blu actually suggesting for me to leave Brazil? To go to Minnesota?_

Blu's excitement dissipated as he sensed my uncertainty about the trip. "Jewel? You ok?"

I shook my head out of my trance and looked at Blu, trying to regain my composure. "What? I'm fine."

"So you're okay with the trip?"

I paused for a second. "Do you absolutely want me to go?"

"Definitely!"

"You sure?"

"Of course!"

I faked a sigh. "Alright. If you _really_ can't spend a few days away from me, I'll go." I smirked.

Blu smirked as well, accepting my answer. "Great. Linda reserved a spot on the plane for us on Tuesday. So we all leave in two days."

_Ugh. Not ANOTHER plane… This trip is becoming a real pain. And we didn't even leave Brazil yet!_

Blu looked off in the distance before suddenly looking back at me.

"Oh. I almost forgot. Tulio said your wing is fine to sleep in the breeding chamber with me toni-" Blu stopped himself halfway through his words, realizing what he just said.

The troubling cloud of the trip suddenly vanished as Blu made his very "suggestive" comment. I immediately took advantage of the situation to make Blu feel as uncomfortable as possible.

"Oh, you want to sleep with me?" I smirked at him amusingly.

Blu tried to explain himself and his innocent intentions, but not without making himself look like a fool in the process.

"S...Sleeping with you? I didn't say that! Well, I said it, but I swear didn't intent it that way. Not that I wouldn't want to sleep with you! I just mea-"

I put a feather from my wing against his beak, hushing him. "Alright. I'll… "sleep" … with you."

…

Blu:

Wow... I looked beside me and recognized a cerulean macaw that was Jewel, sleeping with her back to me. We were both in the hollowed-out tree, the same tree where we first met near the dented air vent.

A question came to mind: _How the heck did this all happen?_ Not a week ago, I was simply plain old nerd Blu. Reading books, drinking hot cocoa. That was my schedule, day in and day out. Now, I'm sleeping next to one of the most, correction, THE most beautiful bird in the world.

Jewel was right about the weather; it was bone chillingly cold that night. I was shivering terribly, realizing that my coat of feathers didn't stand a chance against Mother Nature. I then saw Jewel shiver, probably as chilled as me.

_Great… she was freezing. _

I started to weigh the Pros and Cons, then made a mental groan when the Pros outweighed the Cons.

_I really hope I don't regret this…_

Slowly, I inched closer to the sapphire bird next to me, taking as much caution as knights to sleeping dragons. My stomach started feeling uneasy, my stomach filled with butterflies, but I continued moving closer. When my feathers were barely brushing against hers, I stopped.

_Alright…You can do it…_

Intentionally, I stretched my wings and yawned, letting my wing drip over Jewel. When my wing made contact with Jewel, I pressed my eyes shut, awaiting the torturous pain coming to me. But amazingly, Jewel didn't move an inch. She didn't slap me with her wing or kick me out of the tree. If anything, she started to relax, and cuddled into my wing.

It was like she ACTUALLY enjoyed it.

What really struck me though, was that I started having the same reaction. I felt her cozy warmth spread throughout my wing and my entire body. It was weird, and I felt extremely awkward being so close, but I liked it. It's similar if her warmth ignited a fire inside my calm, beating heart. It was satisfying, like drinking a gallon of water after suffering from dehydration your entire life.

_Well… Since I'm here, I might as well enjoy it._ I closed my eyes and leaned my head next to her's…

I believed I could stay in that tree for eternity, with Jewel under my wing. Technically, it's physically improbable, but at that moment, I felt anything was possible. I didn't have a problem in the world. But then again, Jewel had one. Images of Jewel's distressed face flashed into my mind.

I lifted my head and sat up, the warmth of her body dissipated from mine. Why was Jewel so troubled when I told her about the trip to Minnesota? What didn't she like about the trip? Shouldn't she be happy to go?

"Blu?" I hear in a whisper.

I turned my head instantly for the sound. I scanned the tree, searching for the source of that voice. I then looked down near my feet and saw Jewel, her head slightly raised off the floor, staring at me.

"What's wrong?" She spoke in a slightly louder tone.

The funny part was that _she_ was the problem.

I shook my head. "Nothing." I gave her a meek smile. "Go on back to sleep."

And on that note, I laid down on the floor, my back facing Jewel's. I sighed and closed my eyes, realizing that all my hard work was thrown right in the trash.

_You screwed it up Blu. Great job__._

After a brief pause however, I felt a light nudging on my shoulder. I didn't open my eyes, but I still turned and laid on my stomach.

I then felt someone lift my wing and close around another warm body. I peeked out of one eye, and saw Jewel, nestled under my wing.

I settled my head near hers once again, and allowed the darkness to close into my vision, drifting off into a long and restful slumber.

* * *

><p>Version History:<p>

**11-20-11:** 1.0: First Release

**11-20-11: **1.1: Formatting

**12-13-11:** 1.2: Deleted "Version History" on Ch. 2; All version histories will be on Ch. 1; Deleted Ch. 4 (Not Rio Part 2 Holdoff)

**12-30-11:** Moved up the dates one day to fix a plot-hole.


	2. Oldish Friends

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

Week Two: Well… This chapter isn't the BEST of my works. But, hopefully, this can keep you guys off my back for another week. =P

P.S: Sorry for the delay earlier guys. I just had to do some extra editing and it needed a little more time.

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><p>December 22, 2011<p>

Jewel:

This next morning arrived, almost a déjà vu of the morning before. The brilliant rays of light shone over the horizon, birds flew off to fetch more food for their hatchlings, and the humans were back in the sparkly, lukewarm waters.

Only difference was, I was not sleeping on my own this time, in that small, dull-colored cubical. I was next to Blu. My friend…

… maybe even more.

When I awoke that morning, I was still under Blu's wing. I checked my biological clock and seemed around early afternoon. I then looked over at Blu who was still deep in sleep.

_I suppose Blu isn't much of an early bird._

I nudged him with my beak, urging him to awake. When that didn't work, I nudged him harder, which was when his eyes flew open in surprise and practically jumped out of the tree.

Not surprisingly, he face-planted into the floor below, forgetting that he now attains the ability to fly. I couldn't help but burst into laughter when I saw the clutter of feathers scattered all around the "forest" floor.

"Good morning to you too." I managed to say after I caught my breath.

"Oh, uh... Good morning to you too." Blu brushed himself off and cleared his throat. "I'll… uh… meet you in the treatment room?"

"Sure." I called from up the tree.

I then hopped out of the hallow and followed the branch to multiple colored poles protruding from the tree. I hopped down each pole one at a time, careful not to fall and possibly re-injure my wing.

Following the strange white path, it led me to a large metal door with a handle on the top. Just like Blu taught me, I banged on the door three times with my good wing. Soon enough, the door opened, and I walked through the large metal chute to the main room of the Conversation Center.

I saw Blu standing on a table, and squawked at him, wanting for him to fly me up to the table. He turned his head, immediately knowing what I wanted. He glided off the table and picked me up with his talons. After making a turn, he then hovered over the table and laid me gently on my shoulder.

I stood up, when suddenly, my stomach grumbled. My cheeks turned pink as Blu looked over at me.

Blu smirked. "Apparently, someone's hungry. I'll go fetch us some breakfast."

He flapped his wings and flew off, to Linda on the other side of the room. I then noticed Tulio running quickly up to me.

"Jewel! There you are! Good thing I saw you! I almost forgot to give you your check-up and vaccinations. I have to make sure you're nice and healthy for the trip!" He gave me a wide smile, but none of his excitement was contagious to me.

_Ugh… That dang trip strikes again…_

So one check-up and 4 shots later, I was back on the table, eating a breakfast of seeds, vegetables, fruits, and my favorite, mango slices.

As soon as I saw those yellow, juicy, bite-sized pieces, I practically dived for them, savoring every bite that entered my mouth.

After I finished I believe the ninth slice, I looked up at Blu's open-jaw expression. I then realized I just ate the entire plate of mangos, except for one, tiny wedge, saw-sawing on the plate. I looked away and blushed, embarrassed that I had such an appetite.

He spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. "Well…" Blu said while picking up the last mango slice. "At least now I know. The way to a Jewel's heart…" He held out the fruit to me. "…is through mangos."

I took the slice from Blu's wing and blushed again. After finishing the last mango, I quickly changed the subject. "Say, want to visit our friends before we leave?"

"Rafael included?" Blu moaned.

"Sadly, yes." I laughed. "Might as well get him over with first."

Blu sighed. "Fine…" He said in a medium-high tone. "I'll check with Linda, and we'll be on our way."

…

Ah, the open skies. Freedom. I was so relieved to finally revisit my old friend. I felt content to be back where I was meant to be; to feel the wind through my feathers, to smell the scents of the familiar, yet exotic, jungle.

Of course, Blu was only carrying me, but beggars can't be choosers.

After about five minutes of soaring over the jungle, I spotted a familiar landmark.

"Look. Down there." I motioned with my head to a large rock tied off with multiple vines.

Blu sighed. "Now entering the Pit of Suffering..."

Blu lowered altitude and hovered in mid-air before landing next to the large rock.

Like the last time we were here, the woods were quiet, indicating the calm before the storm.

"Shh…" Blu put a feather to his lips as he carefully moved across the dirt expanse. I followed his tail, sweeping the trees for any sign of movement, any indication of the "enemy".

Blu's eyes suddenly focused to his left. I glanced at the general direction, but saw nothing. I turned my eyes to the right and caught a glimpse of a yellowish beak under a leaf. I was able to make out a smile before what happened next.

"Blu! There's one under the lea-" The air in my lungs was suddenly sucked out as the dirt below Blu and me collapsed. I let out a grunt as I impacted the ground; dirt splashed in my face. I looked upward and realized we were in a crater. It was a trap.

"Attack!"

The rest was a blur. Black and white birds swarmed the hole like a horde of bees. Blu stood up and tried to knock them away, but was pinned down when one jumped on his chest. One jumped on my chest as well and pulled at my feathers. Blu and I then shouted the one word which had saved us from our fate.

"Rafeal!"

"¡Ay, Dios mío!" A familiar Toucan shouted. "Kids! I think I see your _mother_ coming!"

Instantly, at the word "mother", the baby Toucans took to the skies and vanished in a cloud of dust. I looked up at Rafael, who was now standing at the edge of the pit.

Blu dusted himself off as I wiped my face and spit out the dirt which managed to enter my beak during the chaos. After I finished, Blu picked me up with his talons and lifted me out of the pit.

"What was _that?_" I uttered loudly when Blu landed me on the ground. I then saw Eva walking up to us, with a scowl on her face.

"I told you taking them to Eduardo was only going to make trouble!"

"Who's Eduardo?" Blu asked.

Eva turned to Blu. "He's a Burrowing Owl. Guess what he taught our kids?"

I turned my head and saw the kids scraping at the soft, grainy dirt with their talons, no doubt making another trap for more unsuspecting visitors.

Rafael, feeling pretty embarrassed, quickly changed the subject to us. "Yeah… Some kids huh? Anyways, what are you two lovebirds doing here?"

Blu opened his mouth to object about us being "lovebirds", but I cut him off. "We're taking a trip and wanted to visit you two before we leave."

Rafael looked surprised. "A trip? Where?"

"To America. I'm going to Blu's home." I smiled, but half-heartily.

Rafael was impressed. "Ah, America. The sweet taste of freedom and liberty. Wow… I would love to go there…"

Rafael drifted off in his imagination, but Eva elbowed (if birds can elbow) him in the side, bringing him back to reality.

"Oh! Uh, but of course, I am needed here. With my kids, and my beautiful mate…" Rafael gave a wide smile to Eva.

Eva gave a smile back, but then turned to me. "Can we have a little talk?"

My eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, uh, sure."

Eva wrapped her wing around my shoulder and walked me away from Blu and Rafael. When we were at a non-audible distance, Eva stopped me and looked in my eyes.

"Ok. What's wrong?"

Eva caught me off guard. "What? Nothing's wrong."

"Ha! Don't try to hide it. I know something's bothering you."

_There's no getting out of this one, is there? _"It's nothing really. I'm just a bit concerned about the trip."

"You mean you hate it." Eva stated bluntly.

I laughed sheepishly and focused my eyes at the dirt below my talons, breaking eye contact.

"Listen girl, you need to tell your mate about this."

"Wait a second. He's not my ma-" Eva cut me off, giving me the same treatment that I gave Blu.

"Just tell him. He needs to know."

I looked over at Blu talking with Rafael, most likely getting more misleading advice.

I turned back to Eva. "I'll try."

After we made our goodbyes and left Rafael's, we headed toward the trolley where Nico and Pedro's nightclub was located. The "30 minutes" Rafael claimed for the trip took more than thrice that, as Blu wasn't the greatest flier ever, plus, we got lost many times.

When we FINALLY made it to the trolley, I was surprised that it was now sunset. The sky was painted in a dark violet.

Blu took one look at the sky and frowned. "We should get back to the Center before dark." He warned me.

I nodded, then walked into the newly-repaired night club.

Within the club, the music was booming. The sound of their drums (which were really tin cans) rang in my ears as they beat around the vicinity. This all seemed so familiar. My mind flashed briefly back when Nico and Pedro took us in here just a couple days before. I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

I took one look around the night club, and a thought instantly came to mind. _We're never going to find them in here…_

I glanced at Blu who was also scanning the club, probably thinking the same thing.

"Where are those two birds?" I asked Blu.

"Probably singing more samba," Blu yelled over the sound of the squawking birds and the blaring music.

As if on cue, a yellow canary and a red cardinal flew over to us.

"Hey, hey! Why isn't it our two favorite lovebirds!" Nico smiled.

"I knew I would see you two again! I just knew it!" Pedro exclaimed. "Did you come back for more samba?"

Before I had a chance to say anything, Blu spoke up, "No, we're just stopping by. We're going on a little trip for a few days."

Nico's and Pedro's eyes both widened in surprise and curiosity as they both said simultaneously, "Oooh… Where to?"

Doing my best to give a smile, I said, "America. To be specific, Minnesota, where Blu lived."

Pedro grinned in his funny little way as he said, "America eh?"

Blu seemed to be eager to leave the club as soon as possible. He cut the conversation short by mentioning the sun was about gone. I bid my farewell to the two party birds, and watched as Nico smiled and tipped his little bottle cap hat, yelling over the racket to us. "Well, then! You two have a safe trip!"

Pedro waved his wing at us as he yelled as well, "Have fun in America! Make sure you tell us all about it!"

The Conversation Center was nearly pitch black at this time, except for a tiny light over the entrance. A small window was open for our arrival, as Blu swooped down through the window, with me in his talons.

Blu landed and laid me gently on a table. I smiled to him, nonverbally thanking him. Blu emulated my smile, responding with a "You're welcome".

"Blu!" A high-pitched feminine voice cried out.

I quickly turned my head, and sighed in relief when I saw Linda running up to us. Blu squawked cheerfully at her as Linda picked him up and crushed him in a bear hug. I raised my good wing shielding my mouth and giggled as Blu suffered from oxygen deprivation.

Linda lifted the quite frazzled bird at face level, tears forming in her eyes. "I thought I lost you again!" Blu responded with a sheepish smile and squawked for Linda to put him back down.

"Oh, sorry." Linda placed him back on the table as Blu tried to straighten up his ruffled aqua-like feathers. But it was similar to building a tent in a hurricane, and he gave up eventually.

"You two are probably feeling tired. I'll let you in the breeding chamber. "

She walked inside the chamber, and opened the door to let us in.

"I'll leave the door open. If you need me, I'll be sleeping in a nearby room. Good night you two."

When Linda walked away, I turned to Blu. "Some human, huh?"

Blu chuckled timidly. "Yeah… Sometimes she's a little too protective…"

"Understatement of the century." I looked up at the tall tree above me, feeling too tired to climb it again. "Mind?"

"Oh, right." Blu took flight, lifting me with his talons. Once we entered the hallow, I turned and looked at Blu, our eyes meeting.

I gave him a light smile. Something about the atmosphere in that cold, dark hallow was different. I couldn't figure out what it was, but it was oddly pleasant.

"Ready for the trip tomorrow?" Blu asked.

"I suppose," was my response.

Another small pause sprouted before Blu's soft chuckle broke the silence. "Hehe. I hope you're getting used to these cold nights. It's going to be like this all the time in Minnesota."

I smirked. "I'll never get used to this cold."

Blu thought for a second. "Hold on. Stay here for a second."

Blu then hopped out of the hallow and glided down out the door. About a minute later, I saw Blu fly back in through the door. I couldn't make out the strange object he held between his talons.

He landed outside the entrance to the hallow, still concealing the item.

"Maybe… This will help."

Blu stepped inside, and took my breath away. He brought in a dazzling, silver scarf, made with the finest in silk and fleece. I reached out and ran my wing across it, realizing how unbelievably soft it was.

"I made it myself, but never wore it. Maybe you can find it useful."

"Blu… This… This is beautiful…" I stammered.

He looked down at the scarf. "I guess a nerd bird isn't all that bad after all." He joked.

He was completely right, in more ways than one.

Blu walked up to me, still holding the scarf. "Let's see how it fits." He drew the scarf around my neck, tying a small knot around it. Instantly, I felt the scarf's warmth engulf me. I could faintly make out Blu's scent, his sweet aroma filling my nose.

When he finished tying the scarf, he stepped back, amazed.

"How is it?" I asked, slightly nervous.

Blu smiled. "It's perfect…"

My eyes met his, staring into his kind, hazel eyes. Time seemed to fade away in that cold, dark hallow. I never realized how much time passed until the lights of the chamber shut off, marking the 10 pm deadline.

Blu turned to me. "Well… Guess it's time to turn in for the night. Hope the scarf helps."

A yawn escaped from his beak as Blu lowered himself to his belly. I also did the same, closing my eyes and succumbing to my sleepiness. I peeked at Blu and saw him shivering.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. I moved myself over to Blu's side of the tree and wrapped my wing around his body. Blu almost jumped, and looked at me in confusion. "Can't let you freeze to death."

He relaxed and chuckled. "I guess not."

Blu snuggled up close to me, taking in my warmth.

"Good night Jewel…"

"Good night Blu…"


	3. Not Rio Part 1

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

Week Three: I am SO sorry for delaying Ch. 3 for so long! *facedesk* *facedesk* *facedesk* I apologize to all my readers. I'll find some way to repay you guys. I promise. =)

My story has over **1,000 HITS** in 3 weeks! Not too bad for my first story, huh? ;)

P.S: Happy Birthday to my baby brother! Thanks to you, I get to eat carrot cake! =D

* * *

><p>December 23, 2011<p>

Jewel:

_This was it. Today was the day._ Frantic thoughts ran back and forth my mind, destroying any hope to obtain any sleep.

_We're going to Minnesota. We're leaving Brazil._ I tried to force myself to sleep, to catch even a single glimpse of Utopia. But forcing yourself to sleep was impossible. Simply impossible.

_Goodbye to the exotic jungle, goodbye to warm weather…_ My eyes turned to Blu as he savored the easing opiate of sleep. In a way, I felt jealous of him. But in my mind, I knew that was futile. Being jealous of sleep was like being jealous of breathing.

_Goodbye to sunny beaches, goodbye to Christ the Redeemer… _Ugh! I pulled back my wing off of Blu and stood up. Restless, I stepped out of the hallow, hoping that a little walk might calm my nerves.

I walked along the branch sat down upon it. I then noticed something that wasn't there a few weeks ago. A large window was installed in the wall, bestowing an amazing view of Rio. My eyes widened when I realized that this view was similar to the one my first night with Blu. The moon shone proudly above, illuminating the city in a tranquil glow.

In the wild, I often spent many nights like these; bathing in moonbeams on a spectacular night like this. I used to have a favorite tree, where I could see the entire city of Rio, the moon gleaming brightly above. I loved that tree. I often came there, simply to think.

"Jewel," I hear in a horse whisper.

I turned and saw Blu, standing on the same branch with me. He must have snuck out of the hallow. Sneaky bastard. Despite that though, I felt somewhat relieved that he was here. I suddenly didn't feel as lonely.

"Hey Blu…" I gave a weak smile.

He immediately felt like an annoyance to me. "Uh, if you want to be alone…"

"No, it's alright. If you want, stay." I insisted.

He stood there, reluctant on what to do. Finally, he approached me, and sat down on the branch next to me.

We sat there for some time, the last two Spix's Macaws in the world. Blu spoke up first. "Uh, W…Why are you still up?" He still felt uncomfortable around me.

"Couldn't sleep," was my answer.

"Me either." He confessed. A cold chill suddenly passed through the branch. I wrapped the sterling scarf tighter around my neck, sealing in a small amount of warmth.

Blu and I stared at the moon rising above us, admiring its precious glow. It's amazing how something so far away can seem so close.

Eva's voice echoed in my head. _"Just tell him. He needs to know."_I took a deep breath, trying to gather all of the courage simply to express what I felt.

_Okay… Here we go…_ "Blu?" He turned his head in my direction. "I'm not entirely sure that I'll have fun in Minnesota…"

He looked confused. "Why not?"

I took another deep breath and looked down, breaking eye contact. "Correction… I don't want to go to Minnesota…" Salty tears started to form in my eyes, and my voice started to fade. "I don't want to leave Rio…"

Blu turned away from me. He didn't look disappointed, or upset. All I saw on his face was a blank expression.

His voice broke the silence. "I remember when I was first told that I had to come to Rio. I was so angry. I had so many doubts. Why did I have to go? Are they actually suggesting for me to leave Minnesota?"

My eyes widened. I realized that Blu felt the exact same way that I did.

"I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay right there, right where I was. I loved my small little town… I loved my home… and I loved Minnesota."

I suddenly felt guilty. I made Blu leave the place he loved. The place where he belonged.

"But there was only one thing that made me go. One thing that started all of this."

I looked up at him, my spirits downed.

"Linda."

I was again taken by surprise. _Linda? What did she do? She's only a human!_

"She believed that this was for the best. She believed that this was the right thing to do. And I trusted her. If she believed that this was right, then it was."

I realized that Blu's bond between him and Linda was much stronger that I thought. Much more powerful than I anticipated.

He then suddenly turned to me. "Jewel… Do you trust me?"

I was shocked. I looked away from him, searching my mind for the answer. _I don't know… Did I trust him? _But then again, I already knew the answer.

"I trust you…"

I moved closer and hugged him with my one good wing. He wrapped his wings around me, protecting me from the dangers of the world.

I was now content. I was now willing to go to Minnesota. Blu was right. If he believed that this was the right thing to do…

Then it was…

…

Blu and I stood on a table near the front door, waiting for the two scrambling humans to finally walk out the door.

"Did you get the passports?"

"I thought you got them!"

"Great… I'll check the office."

I tapped my foot, my patience wearing thin. _How many things do they possibly need?_

"It's not in- never mind! Found them!"

They both neared the door, when Linda suddenly turned to Tulio. "Wait, what about the cage for them two?" She motioned toward us.

"Oh right…" Tulio struck himself in the face with his palm. He then ran off again as another sigh escaped my mouth. I plopped down on the table, defeated.

When he finally returned, a yellow cage was in his hands. I noticed a strange lock on the grated door, soon realizing I wouldn't be able to unlock it once inside.

Tulio laid the cage on the table and opened the gate with a squeak. Without hesitation, Blu hopped right in.

I, however, wasn't as open to the idea. My hatred for cages still existed, and it's not something I can easily shrug off. But, eventually, I stepped inside.

The gate clicked as it locked shut, sealing my fate. I looked over at Blu, hoping to get reassured.

"Don't worry. I learned how to unlock airport cages before I left for Rio." He winked.

If there was one thing I learned, it was that Blu never fails to disappoint.

Well… at least most of the time.

"We have everything?" Linda nervously asked Tulio.

He put a hand to his chin, thinking hard. "Hmm… Yes. I think that's it. Minnesota, here we come!

…

After a painful 11 hour trip, we finally arrived at Minnesota. However, Blu and I were loaded in what he called the "cargo" area, so no windows. Once we passed screening, Linda, Tulio, and Fernando all greeted us at the Minnesota airport.

Linda picked up the cage as Tulio called for a taxi. I tried to take my first peek of America, but failed. Too many cars in the way.

Once the taxi drove up, Fernando hopped in the driver passenger seat. Tulio sat directly behind him, and Linda sat in the middle, which gave Blu and I the left window seat.

Linda opened the cage and let us out with a warning. "Don't distract the driver you two." The second I was free, I immediately hopped to the window, eager for my first look at America.

I saw… white. The hills, the roads… They were all the same bleached hue. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating this.

The landscape wasn't dynamic and bursting with color. The air wasn't electrifying and filled with music and laugher. It was simply empty and lonely.

Blu hopped beside me on the window and chuckled. "Not anything like Rio, isn't it?"

I responded with a light laugh. "No kidding…"

The road dipped slightly downward as a strange sign passed. The head of a large beast with antlers stood over poorly scribbled writing. Asking Blu to read the sign, he translated "Welcome to Moose Lake, Minnesota."

The taxi pulled into town, where I got a first look at Blu's home. The buildings, at first glance, seemed clean and well-maintained. However, they were all painted with dull colors, such as red, green, and orange.

Every once in a while, we would pass large wooden poles with strange thick black strings connecting them. I made myself a mental note to ask Blu about those someday.

Trees could be seen all around town. Some were colored with an eerie ebony and only contained the skeleton of branches left. Others were shaped like cones, and held spiky leaves. Blankets of snow were draped over them, but green could still be seen under the white covering.

Strangely enough, some of these cone trees were decorated in an array of lights and colors. Bizarre items were hung on the branches, like blonde spheres and small crimson boxes tied with string. Its festive nature seemed to naturally catch my eye, and I liked them immediately.

Blu hopped up beside me as I asked him a question. "Does Minnesota always have these weird trees?"

"Colorful trees? Oh, you mean the Christmas trees! People only decorate them around this time of the year. It's a tradition with the holiday."

I screwed up my face in thought, pondering about this holiday.

"Don't worry Jewel." He continued. "You'll see for yourself when we set up our own Christmas tree."

The taxi suddenly made an abrupt stop, yanking me out of my thoughts and nearly off the window. When I regained my precious balance, I looked out the opposite window.

A pine green building stood on the opposite side of the taxi. Linda opened her door and stepped outside. I hopped off the window and onto the seat with Blu.

Blu offered to help me down, but I denied it. I appreciate his generosity, but I'm still an independent bird. I prefer to do things myself, instead of constantly relying on others.

The snow crunched under my talons as I landed on the icy clumps.

Linda unlocked and opened the door. Fernando and Tulio followed, as Tulio mumbled something along the lines of "I'm not used to this weather". A cool breeze passed through as I drew my scarf closer. I then heard the flap of wings and turned to see Blu and two grey Canadian geese landing on a park bench.

"Well, well, well…If it isn't the nerd bird again..." One goose spoke.

"Hey, why haven't I seen you in so long huh?" The other joked. "Got caught up reading the dictionary again?" They both cracked up at the joke, laughing so much more than necessary.

Blu started to walk away, but stood near the doorway of the building.

The first goose turned to the other. "No! I heard he went on a trip! To Brazil…" They both oohed and cracked up again.

The other goose joked a second time. "What'd you do there? Buy some more books?"

"No, no. He probably went to learn Portuguese!"

"No, no, no! He went to get a mate…." And cracked up again. Right away I disliked these two birds and their redundancy. But I thought this was the perfect time to make my introduction.

"Hey Blu!" I shouted, catching the geese's attention. I turned my beak slightly and kissed him on the cheek, taking special care that the geese were watching. Even though Blu's cheeks turned crimson, my plan worked.

The two grey birds earlier laughing at Blu now held a blank expression on their faces. Their mouths were ajar, shocked about the recent turn of events. I then wrapped my wing around Blu's shoulder and lead him inside, with a very pleased look on my face.

...

Blu:

"_Ah… This is the life." _I sipped my hot chocolate, savoring the wonderful taste. I turned and saw Jewel, planted in a chair, uninterested in her surroundings.

I hopped from the window sill to the cage door and then to the disorganized desk, almost tripping over the globe like an idiot. After I regained my balance, I walked over to Jewel.

"Want to try some hot cocoa, Jewel? It's quite delicious."

I could tell that she felt doubtful, but she agreed anyways. I then made a shaky takeoff off the desk and picked Jewel up, flying her to the window sill.

Once we landed, she took a peek inside the mug. "_This _is hot cocoa? Ugh… It looks disgusting."

"Aww, come on… At least try it?" I moaned.

She thought for a second. "Ugh… fine."

Cautiously, she tipped the cup to her beak and tried it. Her eyes widened in amazement.

I smirked. "Like it?"

She scoffed, although it was obvious that she liked it. "What, this? Ehh… It's alright."

Although the beverage was only "alright", she took the pleasure to finish the rest of the cup. When she finished, she let out a quiet satisfactory sigh, and the tip of her beak was colored amber.

"Uh, Jewel? You got a little something there."

"Where?" She asked, dumbfounded.

"There…" Almost instinctively, I took my wing and wiped the residue off her beak. I immediately drew it back and blushed, worried if that was a mistake.

Her only response was a smile though. _Phew!_

Linda stepped down the stairs and saw that we were finished with the hot chocolate.

"Oh, you two are finished? Just leave the cup there. I'll get to it." She turned to me. "And Blu, go out and play with Jewel! You're going to bore her with all your book reading."

I moaned in protest, but Linda didn't take no for an answer. She did make a compromise though.

"How about this. If you go out and play today, we'll all head up to Snow Hill in the morning. Good with you?

Next minute, Linda closed the door behind us as we stood outside.

Jewel turned to me. "Great. Is this 'Snow Hill' really _that _fantastic?

"You have no idea" was my reply.

She scoffed again. "So now what?"

I put my talon to my chin, thinking. "Hmm… I have a couple ideas up my sleeve…"

Jewel, however, didn't understand the phrase. "You don't have sleeves…"

"Just follow me."

…

We walked to a park surrounded with a metal chain-link fence. Essentially, it was simply a large grassy lawn covered in snow. But it'll work.

After we entered the park, I turned to Jewel.

"Do you know what a snowball is?"

She cocked her head. "A ball of snow?"

"Precisely. I'll show you how to make one."

I bent down and grabbed a clump of snow in my wing, packing it to form a ball. When it retained its sphere-like shape, I saw that Jewel also made one.

"Not bad." I complimented. _She's a quick learner._

She stared at the icy orb in her hand. "So… what do you do with it?"

"Well, you have snowball fights. You throw the snowball at other birds or people."

I offered to show her the proper technique to throwing the snowball. "Okay. When you throw the snowball, you fir- oof!"

A snowball flew through the air and slapped me in the face, causing me to splat on the snow. Shaking the snow off my head, I realized that _Jewel_ was the one that threw it.

For only one wing, she packed a lot of punch in that throw.

"That good enough?" She had a smug smile on her face, gathering more snow for another shot.

"I guess that'll do." I dragged my wing back, gathering snow in my wing. I rolled on my belly to the left, narrowly dodging another shot. I hopped on my feet and fired one at Jewel, nailing the shoulder of her throwing wing.

She shrugged off the hit and smirked. "Oh, it's on…"

Taking a large scoopful of snow, she blazed a snowball at me. I dived in the snow in a small trench, missing the snowball by an inch. I clenched my wing and tossed the snow up in the air. Jewel yelped, as it almost hit her.

"You're going to pay for that!"

I responded with a hearty laugh. I popped my head out just as a snowball slapped my face, slamming my face in the snow.

She hopped over to the trench and chuckled. "What did I say?"

I turned over and sat on the snow and chuckled as well. "Well look who's having fun…"

She responded with a smile. "We better get back to your house."

I agreed with her. "Alright then. Let's go."

I took off and picked Jewel up with my talons, soaring off in the deep cerulean sky.

* * *

><p>Version History<p>

**12-04-11: **1.0: First Release


	4. Not Rio Part 2

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

Week Four: As most of you know, I missed my deadline by TWO days! TWO DAYS! So, in return for my mistake (and last week's =P), I shall be releasing:

A) A extended chapter (This)

B) An extra chapter this week.

The extra chapter will probably be released on a weekday, but I'm not going to set a deadline, because you guys know how horrible I am following those. xD

It'll just be my way of saying, thank you.

* * *

><p>December 24, 2011<p>

Blu:

The loud roar of the lemon-colored snowmobile pierced my ears as it sped down the streets and out of town. Bitter cold winds brushed past my face, and my sense of smell was numbed dramatically.

I'm in heaven.

I do have to admit though, three humans and two birds on one tiny vehicle isn't the best, nor the safest idea ever, but hey, it did the job.

After a five minute drive, we pulled up to Snow Hill, a large uprising of ice and sleet surrounded by trees on both sides. It wasn't too steep, but it was perfect for what we were going to do. Snow Hill stretched on for almost a mile, a lengthy mountain compared to others I visited.

Once Linda drove us all to the top, we all hopped off. She then untied the sled which was knotted to the back of the snowmobile and pushed it over to Jewel and I standing at the edge of the hill.

Jewel seemed relatively unafraid, but I could sense a hint of fear in her voice. "What are we doing Blu?" She scoffed, I assume, to try to calm her nerves.

I took a breath, pride in my voice. "This… Jewel… is sledding."

...

"Wait, explain this to me again."

I motioned my wing toward a large board built with wooden slates and metal skis attached on the bottom. "You simply hop on the sled, and push it down the hill. It's that simple. Once momentum kicks in, you're off!"

She took one look at the sled and shook her head. "That's it? It sounds so pointless."

I could tell that she was a bit afraid. "Come on… It's not that bad…"

She scoffed again and turned her back to me. Her decision was final. Feeling a bit defeated, I walked up to her, standing shoulder to shoulder. "Alright then. You don't have to go sledding." Instantly, it seemed like a weight off her shoulders were lifted, and her entire body relaxed.

"But… Could you at least hop on the sled then? I'll see if I can ask Linda to pull you around. Please?"

She still felt a little reluctant, but nonetheless agreed. One talon at a time, she climbed on. I could tell her heart was going at a thousand beats per second, but she remained cool.

"Alright…" She spoke. "I got on…"

I smiled. "Good… I'll call Linda."

I turned my back and squawked out to Linda, about 15 feet away from me. But, surprisingly, she didn't hear me. I squawked again, louder. No response.

What I didn't notice was that the snow under the sled slowly started to give in, sliding the sled closer and closer to the edge.

"Hey Blu… The sled's moving…" Jewel called, panicked by the movement. I didn't hear her however, as I was still squawking out to Linda, trying to catch her attention.

"Blu… The sled is mo-ving…"

Linda wouldn't turn around, so I squawked louder, and louder.

"Blu! The…sled… is… MOVING!

Finally, Linda turned around toward me. But after eventually hearing Jewel's desperate yell, I turned toward her, annoyed of what she wanted.

Well… at least where she was before.

...

"AAAAHHHHH!" The sled accelerated down the hill, quicker than I ever expected before.

"Jewel!" I cried out, but she was already out of earshot.

A second later, I was in the air, hastily chasing after the runaway toboggan. I cursed to myself, regretting to have ever let Jewel on that sled.

Linda, Tulio, and Fernando were climbing on the snowmobile, but the engine was taking too long to start up. I was on my own.

I was as flying as fast as I could, but the sled always managed to keep a good 10-20 feet ahead of me. I persuaded myself to go faster, but I could barely even hold the speed I was doing now.

I called out to her. "Jewel! Jewel!"

She instantly swung her head back straight at me. I cried out, "Don't jump off! Stay on the sled!"

"GET ME OFF THIS THING!"

The sled started swaying from left to right, slowly nearing the large trees which surrounded the hill. I was running out of time. If the sled crashed into the trees, at the speed she was going, there was a high probability of injury.

Probably even death.

_Think Blu, think! _I started to solve this problem step by step, like a simple science question. _What am I trying to do? _I was trying to rescue Jewel, but I couldn't do that.

_Why can't I save her?_ The sled was going too fast. It had too much speed.

_Speed! That was it! I needed more speed!_ Problem was, I was already flying at my maximum limit. I couldn't go any faster.

The sled continued to sway dangerously close to the trees, like a pendulum on a clock. My mind started to panic, running the possible scenarios if I didn't save her in time.

_Calm down Blu! Just think! What do birds do to fly faster? How do they obtain more speed? _My mind instantly flashed back to my textbooks. I scoured every single text; every individual word that was somehow related to birds or speed . Finally, I found something that could help.

I remember reading an encyclopedia on different species of birds. I believe I read this almost a month ago, much before my trip to Rio. Searching every bird species that I could recall, I stumbled upon the Peregrine Falcon, the fastest member in the animal kingdom; it's top speed reached over 202 mph.

"BLU!" The sled was now within 15 feet of the tall, study trees.

_Focus. What did it do to reach such fast a speed? _My mind was blank, empty of ideas. _What did it do? _

The reason suddenly dawned upon me. _The hunting dive… It obtains its speed through its hunting dive…_

The sled was now within 10 feet, no more time to delay. I called out to Jewel one last time. "Jewel! I'll be back! I promise!"

"WAIT! BL-"

"Trust me!"

She suddenly turned quiet, speechless I suppose. I delayed for a second, just to stare at Jewel which could have been my last time. I then flew upward, gaining as much altitude as I could. The air was starting to turn colder, and colder, until my wings started to numb at the edges. I looked downward for my target, and was terrified. All I could see was this ghostly mist, but nothing else. I was frozen, both figuratively and literally.

I gulped. _For Jewel…_ And with that single thought, I closed my eyes, and dived.

...

The speed was astonishing, indescribable with only words. I zoomed through the mist, spiraling downward at a 90 degree angle. I opened my wings and flapped as fast and as hard as I could, adding more fuel to the fire. The snowy ground was soon visible, as well as a small blue projectile. My target.

I retracted my wings, entering the hyperdrive of my dive. I rotated my body angle slightly, turning from a 90 degree angle to 45, compensating for the sled's speed. My dive made a deafening whistle, quiet and low at first, but increased in volume and pitch. Jewel's head whirled around, realizing that I was swooping right at her.

"Blu!" Her eyes were full of amazement.

As the ground neared, I calculated the correct altitude and swung open my wings like a parachute, dramatically slowing me down. Although it wasn't entirely enough, as I still slammed into the sled with a definite amount of impact, I made it on the sled.

I picked myself up and immediately took control of the sled, steeply pulling it away from the tree side. I then let out a sigh, relieved that a disaster was averted.

"Blu…" Jewel uttered, then let out a small chuckle. "You are, by far, the craziest bird I have ever met."

I chuckled as well. "It did the trick, didn't it?" I winked, not knowing I did.

"I suppose it did…"

The sled slowly came to a stop as we reached the bottom of the hill. Suddenly, Linda, Tulio, and Fernando surrounded us, asking Jewel "Are you okay?" or "Did you get hurt?". After a thorough investigation with Tulio (and I mean _thorough_), they came to the assumption that Jewel was uninjured. They then turned to me, asking me how I got on the sled. I simply replied with a smile, not really wanting to explain the entire story.

The five of us then left for home, tired and weary. On the way home, Jewel mentioned something to me that puzzled me. She said:

"Next time we sled, don't leave me alone."

The bright snowmobile pulled up to the oh-so-familiar book store, then dropped off Tulio, Fernando, Jewel, and I on the doorstep.

"I'll go park this, and meet you four inside." Linda said. The snowmobile started up again and drove off, and turned a corner, speeding out of sight.

Tulio and Fernando then walked inside the bookstore, leaving the door ajar. Jewel and I were also about to walk inside, until a wad of snow slapped against the doorframe.

I could hear snickering behind me. Who else could have it been?

"Hello Alice… Chloe…" I turned slowly, and faced the two standing on the snow.

Alice spoke first. "Oh hello… Blu…" She turned to Jewel. "And Blu's… _mate…_"

I suddenly felt a fire ignite within me, giving me strength to power my words. "You better shut it…"

The two geese then looked at each other for a second, then cracked up. "HAHAHAHA! Hear that Chloe? I better… _shut it_…" They broke into a second round of laugher.

As soon as Chloe caught her breath, she spoke. "What are you going to do Blu? Read me to death? HAHAHA!"

The tips of my wings started to fold, similar to humans clenching their fists in anger. I was about to yell at the top of my lungs, but two snowballs flying through the air startled me. The snowballs hit both Alice and Chloe at the same time, making them lose their balance and fall in the snow.

Three pairs of eyes all focused at Jewel, who was now holding a snowball in her wing and flashed a malicious smile toward me.

"Oh, you are going to pay for that…" mumbled Alice. She then gathered a wad of snow and was about to throw, but was stopped by another snowball slapping her in the face, causing her to fall once again.

"Don't you even dare." I said, then smiled to Jewel who now stood right next to me.

Alice then hopped up, and glared at me. "That's it."

They then fired a pummel of snowballs, directed at the two of us. Jewel started to lift her wing to shield herself, but instinctively, I pushed her aside behind a thin pillar. I then dived to the right away from her and also took cover behind a pillar.

Multiple snowballs crashed into the cover where we hid, raining bits of ice upon us. Alice and Chloe were both experienced birds, and could be considered even experts in the art of snowball throwing.

Since we were stuck near the front door, little snow was available to us. Without much snow, we couldn't fire back.

"What are you hiding for? Come out you little chickens!" They teased, trying to provoke us to leave our cover.

I stayed my ground, but carefully noticed something. I narrowed my eyes and focused. A small pile of ice started to build up with every snowball that they threw at me. _If I could get them to throw a little bit more, I might have enough for a shot…_

Jewel was taking massive fire from Alice, and the cover wasn't nearly wide enough to cover her body entirely. _This is going to hurt…_

I leaned my head out. "You two have terrible aim! Can't you even hit us once?"

The two quickly shifted their focus to me. "Oh really? Look who's talking! You can't even hit a barn door!" I was then instantly assaulted by snow, a blizzard that I only brought upon myself.

Jewel turned to me, a worried expression on her face. I tried to smile back, to assure her that I'm alright, but failed miserably.

However, I soon saw that my plan worked, as now a handful of snow soon stood next to my talons. I smirked, as I placed my wing over the snow and lifted it off the ground. The blizzard suddenly stopped as I closed my eyes and took a breath.

"What the heck is he doing?"

"I don't know, go check."

My eyes quickly flew open and stepped out, my wing already arched back. The two stood close to each other, ice in their wings. But before their snowballs even left their wing, mine had already hit them, toppling the two over each other.

"Jewel! Run!" I ran toward her to a nearby parked car, something we can use for cover.

She immediately took off in the same direction, dropping herself to the ground and slid behind the parked car. I did the same, and collected more snow for another shot.

"Urgh! Get off of me and take them down!"

I leaned out, and quickly ducked back, barely escaping an icy blow to the beak. I leaned out a second time and surveyed the battlefield. Alice was taking cover behind a tree, Chloe behind a car.

"Jewel! Aim at Chloe behind the car!"

"Alright!"

I fired two snowballs at Chloe, but only succeeded in leaving two white marks on the trunk. Jewel wasn't doing much better, as the front windshield of the car was smeared with white marks.

I ducked back behind the car. We needed a plan. "Jewel, see that mailbox?" I stretched out my wing toward a navy-blue mailbox about halfway between the car we were hiding and the two geese. If we could capture that location, we'll have the advantage.

"What's with it?"

"Move around the right side of the car. When I say now, run over there and hide behind it. I'll give you cover fire."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's do it."

I leaned out my head once again, rechecking their positions. Jewel then slowly moved around the right side of the car, stopping once she was in place.

I counted three seconds. _1… 2… 3!_

"Now!" I stepped out of cover, firing as many snowballs as I could toward the two targets. I was missing dramatically, but it did the job, delaying time for Jewel to make it to the mailbox.

But as she ran across to the mailbox, she slipped, causing her to drop to her stomach. "Jewel!" I cried, and immediately ran for her.

The two geese noticed this mistake though, and quickly took advantage, pummeling us with a barrage of snow. Jewel made it behind the mailbox before she took many hits, but I was running the farther distance, taking hit after hit to desperately make it to cover.

I collapsed on the snow once I was safely behind cover, exhausted from the amount of hits I took. "Blu, are you okay?" Jewel said, anger building in her eyes.

I raised myself and leaned against the mailbox, out of ideas. "They're too good…" I panted. "We're never going to take them down like this…"

Jewel stood and thought hard, the cogs in her brain grinding. Her face suddenly lit up, like a light bulb. A grin stretched across her face, similar to one when she threw the first snowball.

"Hey Blu… How good are you with that dive of yours?"

I answered as honestly as I could. "Meh. I'm alright, I suppose."

"Alright enough to carry a passenger as well?"

I suddenly saw her plan. And wow, it was an amazing, amazing plan. We were going to dive bomb the two.

...

Jewel, with two icy spheres in her talons, stood ready behind the mailbox. The two geese, as stupid as they were, continued to lob snowballs at the metal container.

I stood directly behind her, waiting.

"Ready Jewel?"

"Let's do it…"

With that one command, I took skyward, carrying Jewel in my talons. I flew directly up at almost a 90 degree angle, gaining as much altitude as I could. The two geese saw us, and most likely assumed we were making an escape. They started lobbing snowballs at us, but by the time they started throwing, I was already too high.

I continued flying higher and higher, feeling the air once again turning colder and colder. My flight soon started to slow down, until I came at a complete stop facing at a 90 degree angle. Gravity was soon bringing me back down.

Back into my Falcon Dive.

The astonishing speed never fails to amuse me. I could hear Jewel's whooping over the rush of air and ice. The town was soon visible, as well as my two new targets. Closing my wings, I entered my hyperdrive, now flying at my maximum top speed. The trademark whistle could be heard all throughout town as I plummeted back to Earth. Alice and Chloe heard the whistle, and was stopped dead in their tracks.

As the ground rushed up to me, I yelled "NOW!". Jewel then let go of the snowballs, and with precise accuracy, hit Alice and Chloe. I then spread out my wings as far as I could and slowed my decent, landing softly on the ground.

Alice and Chloe laid sprawled out onto the snow, still dazed by the attack. Eventually, they stood up and tried walking away, embarrassed that they were just defeated in a snowball fight by a "nerd bird" and his "mate".

I called after them. "And you said _who _has the terrible aim?"

Jewel laughed, and joined in the fun. "You better think real hard before you mess with us again!"

"Yeah… Whatever…" Alice moaned.

"Shut up you two…" Chloe moaned as well.

We both cracked up, laughing side by side. Once the humor died down, I turned to Jewel, a smile on my face. "We make a good team, don't we Jewel?"

She smiled. "Yeah… I guess we do…"

A feminine voice down the street called our names. "Blu! Jewel! It's time to head back inside! It'll be dark soon!"

I turned to Jewel. "Come on. Let's get some Hot Cocoa, okay?"

She smiled and agreed. "I'd like that. I'd really like that…"

* * *

><p><strong>P.S: You can go ahead and thank PrairieRose1017 for the idea of creating a second snowball fight scene and BluJet The MacawHawk for the idea of Blu + Jewel vs. Alice + Chloe snowball fight. Thanks you two!<strong>


	5. Not Rio Part 3 Ext

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

Week Five: Don't worry… Expect more chapters in a short time! And recently, Azure Snow Birds just hit 2000 hits! Thanks a lot guys!

Unfortunately, this is a short chapter. It's a necessary part of the plot, yet it's not a very long scene. I had included a songfic at one point in this chapter, but decided against it as I didn't have any original lyrics.

* * *

><p>December 24, 2011<p>

Blu:

The sun began to set, as the five of us relaxed around the warm book store. Jewel was lying on the windowsill, back resting against the frame, starting out in the cold, frozen tundra.

I hopped up onto the desk and called out to Jewel. "Jewel, I have a couple more things I want to show you."

"Does those two things involve me speeding down another snowy hill?"

I smirked, but shook my head. "Don't worry. No more sledding."

She sighed, but stood up and hopped down to the desk with a thump. I then hopped off the table and settled on the ground. After Jewel did the same, I walked up to Linda, sitting behind the front desk.

I squawked out to her, swiveling her head toward me. "Hi Blu. Need something?"

I motioned my wing toward the door. "You want to go out?" She put her hand to her chin, thinking. "Alright. But you better make sure to get back by midnight. And have Jewel wear her scarf."

Linda then lifted up a pearl scarf off the desk and handed it to me, still as shiny as when I gave it to her in Rio.

I tied the small scarf around her neck as Linda walked over and opened the door. The two of us then walked out, instantly being blasted by cold air.

The weather wasn't quite as bad as I predicted. The town, despite it being night, was still as festive as when we entered. Christmas lights decorated the exteriors of houses, while the lunar Moon casted a light grey hue.

"Where are we going Blu?" A voice whispered in my ear.

I turned around, a small grin marking my face. "You'll see when we'll get there."

I then began walking, Jewel right beside me.

My talons finally stopped as I reached my destination. We stood in front of at least a dozen tall trees that seemed to stretch on and on.

"We walked out of town… just for a row of trees?" Jewel sighed.

I smiled, despite Jewel's insult. "Stay close behind me."

I began walking past the trees, leaving Jewel behind. She soon caught up, as the two of us weaved in and out past the trees.

Once the trees started to clear out, the bright sphere lingering in the sky became visible, gently lighting the way for us.

As we came to the end of the trees, it opens up to a magnificent frozen lake. The lake seemed like a night-black void, the moon bouncing off of its chilly surface.

Small dots of fire decorated the cold, vast, expanse. They were so far away, but their burning nature could be still felt.

The natural scent of pine trees flooded my nose, sending me in a tranquil state. The entire landscape was amazing.

But not at all as amazing as her…

"Wow… This place is beautiful…" Jewel murmured.

My eyes fell upon Jewel's beauty. "Yeah… Beautiful…"

Our eyes met, staring into each other's eyes. A strange feeling started to well up inside my heart. It was the same feeling that I also felt on the trolley in Brazil and the plane crash.

Was it… love?

I didn't notice that the space between both our beaks was closing, until I awoke from my daydream and realized what was happening and quickly looked away, breaking the gaze. I didn't have to look at Jewel to know that she was hurt.

"W…what's wrong Blu?"

I was internally slapping myself in the face. "Nothing Jewel… Nothing…"

Jewel inched closer to me. "Are you sure…?"

I snapped at her. "I'm fine! God!"

She scoffed. "Well… Sooorry for being concerned about you."

"Why does everyone have to be concerned about _me?_ I'm not a hatchling! I can take care of myself!"

Jewel let out a laugh. "Take care of yourself? You can't even last 10 seconds out in the jungle!"

That insult went straight to my heart like an ice-cold dagger. And it was true. As much book-reading and TV shows I watched, I could never survive out there.

Jewel's eyes widened as she saw the pain that she caused. "Blu… Hey, I was kidding. I didn't mean it."

But the damage was already done. Who was I kidding to think that I could be her mate? To think that I could protect her from the big, bad world? I was just a stupid, awkward, worthless nerd bird. No one wanted me, no one loved me.

"Blu? Don't feel bad. I'm sure you can survive out in the jungle."

My eyes closed as a single tear rolled down my cheek. I turned away from Jewel, upset. I took a step, then another, and another.

"Where are you going? Don't leave Blu! I didn't mean that! I swear! I'm sorry!"

But despite the desperate calls, I kept on walking. In all my anger and misery, I never noticed the grey skyline looming over the town…


	6. The Blizzard

**COPYRIGHT: **I do not own Rio, related themes, and/or characters, as they are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox. I only own the plot and development of this story, as well as all original characters.

Week Seven: Well, all of my organized plans just turned to dust. Supposing, the story should have been finished by Christmas. But, apparently, that didn't happen. But hey, I still have to finish the story, right?

Personally, I think this is the best chapter I written so far. What do you think? :)

I had found a small plot hole and I fixed it up by moving all the days of the chapters up by one. Just a minor fix and it shouldn't affect the story too much.

Christmas is coming up! And the story is coming to a close...

* * *

><p>December 24, 2011<p>

Blu:

What is the truth? Was it something real and tangible, that you can see and touch with your own fingers? Or was it a vicious beast, an unpredictable animal that can either set one free from a jail of lies and deception, or tear one's soul apart, leaving them hurt, broken, and bleeding?

This was how I felt when Jewel hit me with the facts. Hit me with the real world.

And this… animal… cannot be fought. You can't dispute it, or disagree with it. The truth is… well… the truth. Sure, you can deny it. You can deny, deny, deny. But deep down within yourself, you know it's true.

I suppose I can now see why some people confine themselves in their own imaginations. They want to live in a sacred place where they could never be hurt or feel pain again. Even more, they could hide from the truth, hide from reality.

Can I say I envy these people? I'm not sure. I'm honestly not sure…

I was walking for what seemed like hours, a single lonely bird walking the streets of Moose Lake, Minnesota. My neck was arched downward, my spirits broken, my dreams shattered into a million tiny pieces.

A soft giggling flowed into my ears like a gentle stream of water. I lifted my head slightly. A male and a female human, teenage age, stood at a street corner next to a bakery store. The male was leaning against the store with his shoulder, the female with her back flat against the windowpane.

The male leaned in and whispered into the girl's ear, causing her to giggle again, a velvet tint filling her cheeks. They seemed so happy… so content to simply be in each other's presence.

Two pairs of car headlights screeched around the corner, driving directly toward me. I never had a chance to move a single muscle before the driver slammed on his brakes, only feet away from making me road kill.

"Git' out of the way, you stupid bird!" His voice was tainted with a "redneck" accent as he blared his horn at me. I meekly lowered my head again and shuffled my feet along, but not without noticing the male leaning in for a kiss on the girl's cheek.

I continued walking along, down the dark and cold streets of my home. But I couldn't help but think about that couple I saw on the street corner. The way they seemed so happy… It reminded me of Jewel.

I never wanted this. I never wanted to fight with Jewel. All I wanted now was to back to before. I wanted to cuddle up next to Jewel, wrapping her under my wing. I wanted to feel her renewing warmth crawling up my wing, and igniting the fire within my heart. I wanted her back.

A single snowflake floated down and touched my beak, causing me to jump. Turning my eyes skyward, I realized what I so stupidly ignored earlier.

Grey clouds flooded the sky like ink in a cup of water. The temperature then instantly dropped by at least a good 10 degrees, taking my breath away. A gust of wind instantly followed, ruffling my feathers and set off a string of chimes, echoing an eerie melody.

_Grey clouds… Drop in temperature… Sudden wind activity… There's only one thing that can cause all those at once…_

I gulped, sending a lump from my trembling beak down my throat.

_Blizzard…_

…

I ran as fast as I could, then flapped my wings and took flight. I turned my head and looked behind me, gasping from how close the snowstorm was. It soon began snowing, a white drizzle that quickly obscured my vision.

Luckily, I had memorized Moose Lake since I was a hatchling. I soon orientated myself home and flew as fast as I could. The wind was beginning to build up, forcing my wings to tremble and shake.

A familiar street soon appeared in my vision. I descended my altitude, but a bit too quickly for my preferences, causing me to make a rough landing. After balancing myself, I turned to see the book store, my sanctuary from this cold and freezing land. I made haste, banging on the front door as hard as I could.

Thankfully, a recognizable female face came to the door. Her face was marked with horror, as if I was covered with blood.

"Blu! Are you alright?"

I stepped inside, the door closing behind me. Tulio and Fernando, sitting on a chair, caught a glimpse of me and immediately ran toward me. Tulio barked an order at Fernando to get a towel and a cup of hot water as Tulio took off his jacket and wrapped it around me.

The jacket helped, but I could barely feel it. Most of my exterior was numb, and I lost feeling in my wings. Linda gazed at me with a concerned face, like a mother to her child. She whispered and cooed to me, telling me that everything's going to be alright.

Once Fernando returned with a towel and the hot water, he wrapped it around me and handed me the hot water to drink. I immediately took advantage, sipping the scalding hot water with caution. Linda, Tulio, and Fernando all stood around me, like scientists studying an alien.

Strangely, Fernando looked around back and forth, almost like he was searching for something. He then said, "Wait… where's Jewel?"

…

The three of us stared right at him as if he spontaneously combusted. _What? She's not back yet?_

Tulio tried to form an answer, but only managed to let out a nervous stutter. "Uh… Sh… I…"

Linda turned to me. "Blu… Where's Jewel...?"

I frowned. Putting my wing to my chin, I backtracked my journey, starting at the bookstore and traced my steps. My eyes lighting up like daises, I lifted a talon and made a scribbling motion in the air. Linda instantly knew and cried out, "Pen and paper. Someone get a pen and a sheet of paper!"

Tulio scrambled over to the desk, where he plucked out a black ball-point pen and a notepad. "Here!" He said as he tossed the two over to Linda. She then handed it to me, as I scribbled in neat, bold letters:

M…oo…se…he…ad La…ke

Once they understood the message, Linda cried out, "Moosehead Lake! We need to go get her!"

Tulio agreed. "Yes, we do. She's the last female Spix's Macaw in the world. If she dies, the entire species will be doomed."

I nodded, also agreeing.

Linda immediately took charge, becoming the leader of the search team. "Tulio. You and I will take the snowmobile. It'll be fast and reliable through the blizzard, but it'll take us some time to get there because we need to go around."

She then turned to me. "Blu, you'll fly your way to the lake. You can soar over all of the buildings and take the shorter path. But, it's going to be quite windy. You're really going to have to fight your way through to get to the lake.

Fernando shouted, "What do I do? What do I do?"

Tulio answered him. "You… can stay here. Just in-case Jewel walks back and prepare lots of towels and hot water when she arrives."

Fernando groaned, but agreed. He then walked upstairs, gathering all of the towels and blankets he could find.

Tulio turned back to us. "We better get going. The longer Jewel's out there, the less likely we're going to find her alive." I shuddered at the thought.

As the clock struck 12, signaling the arrival of Christmas, the three of us left the bookstore, setting out on the rescue mission for Jewel.

* * *

><p>December 25, 2011<p>

Flying through that blizzard that day was a grueling experience, and one I did not wish to remember. I remember flying through a hurricane of snow and ice, pulling and pushing in every direction except the one that I needed to go. Everywhere surrounding me was darkness, and trying to see through it was like trying to see the other side of a black hole.

The freezing snow and the chilling winds blinded me, forcing me to fly with my eyes half-closed. Everything the snow touched it stuck on, creating a lethal coat of ice over my wings. All my ears could pick up was the deafening sound of the howling wind, drowning out any possible cries of help from the surface.

It only got worse from there, as the wind began pushing back harder and harder. I tried flapping harder, but I found it was no use. I surveyed my options. I could keep flying like this, and simply man up. I quickly refuted that option. I could do a Falcon Dive and gain more distance. That wouldn't work either, as my visibility is extremely limited and I wouldn't be able to see the ground until it slapped me in the face.

That left the only option. Walking. I quickly landed, exhausted from my ordeal in the sky. I knew I had to keep going, but my body simply wouldn't respond to my commands. My heart was pumping like crazy, causing me to take quick, rapid breaths.

_This isn't good, not good at all. _My vision was gently blurring and refocusing, signs that I pushed myself too far. I suddenly felt light-headed and dizzy, only adding more to my confusion.

_Keep walking… You… you gotta… keep walking…_ I took a steady step forward. Seemed stable enough. I took another step… and groaned in pain as I collapsed upon the snow. My body simply couldn't do it. I was too weak…

Large lumbering trees stood in the distance… Those trees were only found at Moosehead Lake. _I'm here… I made it…_ I lifted myself up and pushed through the blizzard, fighting the howling and powerful wind. A voice flowed into my ears. "Blu… Blu…"

I gasped, realizing who's voice that belonged to. "Jewel!

"Blu… Blu, help me!" The ghostly voice invaded my head, echoing within my eardrums.

I fought through the blizzard harder, unknowing using up the last ounces of my strength.

I screamed her name at the top of my lungs, desperate to find her. "JEWEL! Where are you?"

"I'm here! I'm here!" I traced the voice to the trees.

They seemed so close now... so close to me that I could make it in a few more steps… _This was it… _I thought. _I was going to be the hero… I was going to save the damsel in distress… I was… I…_

My vision soon began caving in on itself, growing dimer and dimer. I tried to call out to her.

"Jewel… I'm… I'll be th…" I realized my voice was weakening, growing quiet and hoarse. I tried to resist the fatigue that plagued me, but I couldn't manage to keep my eyes open. The darkness continued to creep in from the corners of my vision, and like the dark, musky fog, it had clouded my vision, leaving nothing, but black, devoid, darkness.

…

Jewel:

_I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. How… could I have been so cruel to Blu? _The image of his spirit-broken face was burned into my mind. Whenever I closed my eyes, that moment kept replaying in my head like a broken record.

When the snowstorm came, I had taken cover next to a tree, which provided sufficient protection. I laid on my stomach and protected myself by covering myself in one wing, the casted one was simply folded by my side.

Speaking about the cast, it was terribly wet, and cold. I would have taken it off if I wasn't so cold myself. All that was here was me, tons of snow and the howling wind.

Blu was so gentle… so kind to me… but I just slapped him across the face. Tears were streaming down my eyes, running down my cheek like a runaway train. _He'll never want to become my mate… never… I'll guess I'll always be lonely forever…_

A strange sound broke me out of my thoughts. I poked my head out from under my wing and strained my ears, hoping to hear the sound again.

It cried out again, this time loud enough for me to hear. It said… it said… my… name… I stood up immediately and ran around the side of the tree, crying out, "I'm here! I'm here!"

I couldn't believe how happy I was when I saw Blu walking up to the lake. I also couldn't believe how quickly emotions changed when he collapsed on the snow.

…

"Blu! Blu, are you okay?" I shook his body back and forth, but the body didn't move a muscle.

"Blu! Wake up! Wake up!" Grabbing his shoulders for support, I shook him again, harder, whiplashing his head back and forth like a noodle. "Get up Blu!" I screamed, tears running down my cheeks. "GET UP!"

But no matter how much I screamed, no matter how much I shook his poor little head, he remained lifeless.

I buried my head in his chest, sobbing my heart out. I just… couldn't bring myself to the realization that Blu… was dead. That he was gone.

"You can't die Blu…" I whispered, barely loud enough for even me to hear. "You can't die… because… I love you…"

A single tear falling from my eyes, I leaned down and connected my beak with Blu's, the only bird that I have ever, truly loved.

I broke away, after what felt like hours, and stared once more at the lifeless carcass. I closed my eyes in sorrow, feeling that a chunk of my heart had just been ripped out. I felt that I would never be the same without him.

"I had a dream…" A familiar voice mumbled. I looked down at him, amazed. "You said you loved me… and then kissed me …"

I scoffed. "Me kissing you? Wouldn't that be a little strange?"

"No…" He mumbled again, slowly opening his eyes. "It actually kinda makes sense…"

I giggled, and kissed him one more time, connecting my beak with his. At that moment, I suddenly realized that everything will be alright. That everything would work out…

… as long as he was by my side.


End file.
